Orbital engine

Abstract

An engine is disclosed including at least one piston which is positioned within a toroidal piston chamber. A method of operating an engine is disclosed wherein a piston is advanced in a toroidal piston chamber past a first valve and the first valve is closed to form a first ignition chamber area located within the piston chamber between the first valve and the rear side of the piston. A second valve is closed ahead of the piston to form a first exhaust removal chamber area located within the piston chamber between the second valve and the front side of the piston, the exhaust removal chamber including exhaust gases from a preceding ignition which occurred in the first ignition chamber area. A fuel mixture is introduced into the first ignition chamber area and ignited thereby advancing the piston further along the toroidal piston chamber.

1 - 47 . (canceled) 
   
   
       48 . An engine comprising:
 a) a toroidal piston chamber provided in a base member;   b) at least one piston disposed for orbital rotation within the piston chamber and having a front side and a rear side, the at least one piston further including a plurality of spaced apart circumferential recesses;   c) at least one disc valve, with each disc valve comprising a body having at least one notch for alternately closing and opening at least a portion of the piston chamber, the disc valve being rotatable relative to the torodial piston chamber and positioned such that the body of the disc valve is introduced into the piston chamber to close the portion of the piston chamber through an opening in the piston chamber;   d) at least one intake duct for allowing a fuel mixture to enter the piston chamber;   e) at least one ignition member operative to ignite the fuel mixture resulting in the combustion of the fuel mixture and the creation of combustion gases;   f) at least one exhaust duct for allowing the combustion gases to exit the piston chamber;   g) an ignition chamber area located within the piston chamber between the disc valve and the rear side of the piston and incorporating the intake duct and the ignition member; and   h) an exhaust removal chamber area located within the piston chamber between the disc valve and the front side of the piston and incorporating the exhaust duct,   wherein as the piston passes by the disc valve, the disc valve rotates to close the piston chamber so as to create the ignition chamber area, the fuel mixture is introduced to the ignition chamber area, the ignition member ignites the fuel mixture, and the combustion gases expand within the ignition chamber area and impart power to the piston by contacting the rear side of the piston, thus causing the piston to continue the orbital rotation within the piston chamber, whereby the piston forces combustion gases from a previous ignition ahead of the piston in the exhaust removal chamber out through the exhaust duct, as the piston spans the opening in the piston chamber a first circumferential recess of the plurality of recesses is positioned on a first side of the opening and a second circumferential recess of the plurality of recesses is positioned on a second side of the opening.   
   
   
       49 . The engine of  claim 48 , further comprising a connecting disc connected at a first part to the piston. 
   
   
       50 . The engine of  claim 48 , wherein the solid circular plate is generally flat. 
   
   
       51 . The engine of  claim 49 , wherein the engine includes at least three pistons coupled to the connecting disc for orbital rotation within the piston chamber, the pistons being equally spaced around the connecting disc, the engine including a plurality of disc valves equally spaced, the number of disc valves being equal to the number of pistons. 
   
   
       52 . An engine comprising:
 a plurality of separate engine units stacked together, each separate engine unit being coupled to a common output member;   each separate engine unit comprising:
 a base member including a toroidal piston chamber; 
 at least one piston disposed for orbital rotation within the piston chamber, the piston being coupled to the common output member rotatable about a first axis of rotation; 
 at least one intake configured to introduce a fuel mixture into the piston chamber; 
 at least one exhaust configured to allow exhaust gases to exit the piston chamber; and 
 at least one rotatable valve being rotatable about a second axis of rotation through an opening in the base member to alternately close and open at least a portion of the piston chamber, the second axis of rotation being angled relative to the first axis of rotation, wherein in each engine unit a respective rotatable valve closes after a respective piston passes the respective rotatable valve to create a sealed region of the piston chamber between the respective piston and the respective rotatable valve, and wherein the at least one intake first introduces the fuel mixture to the toroidal piston chamber to the sealed region of the piston chamber, further as the respective piston is advancing past the respective rotatable valve a first circumferential recess of the respective piston is positioned in on a first side of the opening in the base member through which the respective rotatable valve moves and a second circumferential recess of the respective piston is positioned on a second side of the opening in the base member through which the respective rotatable valve rotates. 
   
   
   
       53 . The engine of  claim 52 , wherein the at least one rotatable valve is a disc valve. 
   
   
       54 . The engine of  claim 52 , wherein the at least one rotatable valve includes a cylindrical body and wherein the at least one notch is in a sidewall of the cylindrical body. 
   
   
       55 . The engine of  claim 52 , each engine unit further comprising an ignition member, the ignition member igniting the fuel mixture in the sealed region of the piston chamber. 
   
   
       56 . The engine of  claim 52 , wherein each engine unit includes a plurality of pistons equally spaced about the toroidal piston chamber, the plurality of pistons including a first piston and a second piston, the first piston leading the second piston as both travel in a first direction in the piston chamber. 
   
   
       57 . The engine of  claim 56 , each engine unit further comprising:
 a plurality of intakes, each configured to introduce a fuel mixture into the piston chamber, the plurality of intakes including a first intake and a second intake;   a plurality of exhausts, each configured to allow exhaust gases to exit the piston chamber, the plurality of exhausts including a first exhaust and a second exhaust; and   wherein in each engine unit as the first piston passes a first rotatable valve the first rotatable valve closes creating a first sealed region of the piston chamber between the first piston and the first rotatable valve, the first intake introduces a first fuel mixture to the first sealed region of the piston chamber and simultaneously the second piston passes a second rotatable valve the second rotatable valve closes creating a second sealed region of the piston chamber between the second piston and the second rotatable valve, the second intake introduces a second fuel mixture to the second sealed region of the piston chamber.   
   
   
       58 . The engine of  claim 57 , wherein in each engine unit the first fuel mixture in the first sealed region and the second fuel mixture in the second sealed region explodes simultaneously thereby pushing both the first piston and the second piston further along their orbital rotation in the piston chamber and generating first exhaust gases in the first sealed region and second exhaust gases in the second sealed region. 
   
   
       59 . The engine of  claim 58 , wherein in each engine unit the first rotatable valve opens allowing the second piston to pass and subsequently closes creating the first sealed region between the second piston and the first rotatable valve, a subsequent fuel mixture being introduced into the first sealed region and exploded pushing the second piston further along its orbital rotation, wherein as the second piston advances the first exhaust gases from the first piston are pushed out the first exhaust by the advancing second piston. 
   
   
       60 . The engine of  claim 52 , wherein in each engine unit each rotatable valve has an axis of rotation generally non-parallel to an axis of rotation of the common output member. 
   
   
       61 . The engine of  claim 60 , wherein each rotatable valve is a disc valve. 
   
   
       62 . The engine of  claim 52 , wherein each rotatable valve includes a cylindrical body having a notch in a sidewall of the cylinder for alternatively closing and opening the at least a portion of the piston chamber. 
   
   
       63 . The engine of  claim 52 , wherein each base member includes at least two base components coupled together. 
   
   
       64 . A method of operating an engine, comprising the steps of:
 providing an engine comprising a base member including a toroidal piston chamber; at least a first piston disposed for orbital rotation within the piston chamber, the piston having a front side and a rear side; and at least a first rotatable valve, the first rotatable valve including a body portion having a front side and a rear side and at least a first notch, wherein the body portion through an opening in the toroidal piston chamber intersects with the toroidal piston chamber to block the movement of the first piston between a first portion of the toroidal piston chamber adjacent the rear side of the rotatable valve to a second portion of the toroidal piston chamber adjacent the front side of the rotatable valve;   advancing the first piston towards the rear side of the first valve;   rotating the first valve to align the first notch with the toroidal piston chamber, wherein when the first notch is aligned with the toroidal piston chamber the first portion of the toroidal piston chamber and the second portion of the toroidal piston chamber are connected and the first piston may pass from the first portion of the toroidal piston chamber to the second portion of the toroidal piston chamber;   advancing the first piston through the notch from the first portion of the toroidal piston chamber to the second portion of the toroidal piston chamber, as the first piston is advancing through the notch a first circumferential recess of the piston is positioned in the second portion of the toroidal piston chamber and a second circumferential recess of the piston is positioned in the first portion of the toroidal piston chamber;   rotating to first valve such that the notch is in a non-aligned relationship with the toroidal piston chamber and the body portion again intersects with the toroidal piston chamber to block the movement between the first portion of the toroidal piston chamber and the second portion of the toroidal piston chamber, the front side of the first valve and rear side of the first piston forming a first ignition chamber area located within the toroidal piston chamber therebetween;   providing a mixture of fuel and air in the ignition chamber area, both the fuel of the mixture and the air of the mixture being first introduced into the toroidal piston chamber in the ignition chamber area;   igniting the mixture of fuel and air thereby advancing the first piston further along its orbital rotation, wherein the ignition of the mixture generates exhaust gases; and   removing the exhaust gases from the toroidal piston chamber through a first port in the base member.   
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the step of providing a mixture of fuel and air in the ignition chamber area includes the steps of providing an intake duct in the base member and introducing through the intake duct both the fuel and the air.